Defect Inspection Apparatus, Defect Inspection Program, Recording Medium Storing Defect Inspection Program, Figure Drawing Apparatus and Figure Drawing System

1. A defect inspection apparatus configured for inspecting a defect in run-length data to be used for drawing of a figure, comprising: an input data acquisition part configured for acquiring input data describing a figure to be drawn; a run-length data acquisition part configured for acquiring said run-length data by performing a raster imaging processing (RIP) process on said input data; and a defect detection part configured for comparing said input data with said run-length data to detect a difference area as a defect area in said run-length data when it is found; wherein said defect detection part comprises a data format conversion part configured for performing a predetermined conversion process on at least one of said input data and said run-length data to make the data formats of both data comparable, and wherein the defect inspection apparatus further comprises a repair part configured for repairing said defect area to acquire repaired run-length data when the defect area is detected in said run-length data.

2. The defect inspection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said data format conversion part comprises a part configured for performing a figuring conversion process on said run-length data to acquire figured run-length data which is obtained by converting said run-length data into a data format described by a figure, and said defect detection part comprises a difference area specification part configured for acquiring difference area data specifying said difference area by computing an exclusive OR operation of said figured run-length data and said input data.

3. The defect inspection apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein said defect detection part comprises an excess defect area specification part for specifying an excess defect area in which run data is generated in said run-length data though no corresponding area exists in said input data by computing a logical product of said difference area data and said figured run-length data.

4. The defect inspection apparatus according to claim 3 , further comprising an excess defect repair part configured for deleting run data generated in said excess defect area in said run-length data when said excess defect area is specified.

5. The defect inspection apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein said defect detection part comprises a lack defect area specification part for specifying a lack defect area in which no run data is generated in said run-length data though an area exists in said input data by computing a logical product of said difference area data and said input data.

6. The defect inspection apparatus according to claim 5 , further comprising a lack defect repair part configured for generating new run data in said lack defect area in said run-length data when said lack defect area is specified.

7. The defect inspection apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein said defect detection part comprises a first difference differential area acquisition part for acquiring first difference differential area data by subtracting a figure area defined by said input data from a figure area defined by said difference area data; and an excess defect area specification part for specifying an excess defect area in which run data is generated in said run-length data though no corresponding area exists in said input data by extracting an area of positive value in said first difference differential area data.

8. The defect inspection apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein said defect detection part comprises a second difference differential area acquisition part for acquiring second difference differential area data by subtracting a figure area defined by said figured run-length data from a figure area defined by said difference area data; and a lack defect area specification part for specifying a lack defect area in which no run data is generated in said run-length data though an area exists in said input data by extracting an area of positive value in said second difference differential area data.

9. The defect inspection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said data format conversion part comprises a part configured for performing a figuring conversion process on said run-length data to acquire figured run-length data which is obtained by converting said run-length data into a data format described by a figure, and said defect detection part comprises a first differential area acquisition part configured for acquiring first differential area data by subtracting a figure area defined by said input data from a figure area defined by said figured run-length data; and an excess defect area specification part configured for specifying an excess defect area in which run data is generated in said run-length data though no corresponding area exists in said input data by extracting an area of positive value in said first differential area data.

10. The defect inspection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said data format conversion part comprises a part configured for performing a figuring conversion process on said run-length data to acquire figured run-length data which is obtained by converting said run-length data into a data format described by a figure, and said defect detection part comprises a second differential area acquisition part configured for acquiring second differential area data by subtracting a figure area defined by said figured run-length data from a figure area defined by said input data; and a lack defect area specification part configured for specifying a lack defect area in which no run data is generated in said run-length data though an area exists in said input data by extracting an area of positive value in said second differential area data.

11. The defect inspection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said data format conversion part comprises a run-length data imaging part configured for performing a first imaging process on said run-length data to acquire imaged run-length data which is obtained by imaging said run-length data; and an input data imaging part configured for performing a second imaging process on said input data to acquire imaged input data which is obtained by imaging said input data, and said defect detection part comprises a difference area specification part configured for specifying said difference area by comparing said imaged run-length data with said imaged input data by pixels.

12. The defect inspection apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein said difference area specification part comprises a pixel comparison excess defect area specification part for comparing said imaged run-length data with said imaged input data by pixels to specify an area in which a pixel exists only in said imaged run-length data as an excess defect area in which run data is generated in said run-length data though no corresponding area exists in said input data.

13. The defect inspection apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein said difference area specification part comprises a pixel comparison lack defect area specification part for comparing said imaged run-length data with said imaged input data by pixels to specify an area in which a pixel exists only in said imaged input data as a lack defect area in which no run data is generated in said run-length data though an area exists in said input data.

14. The defect inspection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said data format conversion part comprises an input data coordinating part configured for performing a coordinating process on said input data to acquire coordinated input data described by a set of respective coordinate values of one or more figures included in said input data, and said defect detection part comprises a difference area specification part configured for specifying an excess defect area in which run data is generated in said run-length data though no corresponding area exists in said input data and a lack defect area in which no run data is generated in said run-length data though an area exists in said input data by comparing positions of starting points and end points of a plurality of runs included in said run-length data with a predetermined coordinate value among a plurality of coordinate values included in said coordinated input data.

15. The defect inspection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said input data is computer aided design (CAD) data of a pattern to be drawn onto a substrate, and said run-length data is used for drawing of said pattern onto the substrate.

16. A computer-readable recording medium configured for storing a program which is stored in a computer and executed by said computer to cause said computer to function as a defect inspection apparatus for inspecting a defect in run-length data to be used for drawing of a figure, wherein said defect inspection apparatus comprises an input data acquisition part configured for acquiring input data describing a figure to be drawn; a run-length data acquisition part configured for acquiring run-length data by performing a raster image processing (RIP) process on said input data; and a defect detection part configured for comparing said input data with said run-length data to detect a difference area as a defect area in said run-length data when it is found; wherein said defect detection part comprises a data format conversion part configured for performing a predetermined conversion process on at least one of said input data and said run-length data to make the data formats of both data comparable, and wherein the defect inspection apparatus further comprises a repair part configured for repairing said defect area to acquire repaired run-length data when the defect area is detected in said run-length data.

17. A figure drawing apparatus configured for drawing a figure onto an output medium on the basis of run-length data, comprising: an input data acquisition part configured for acquiring input data describing a figure to be drawn; a run-length data acquisition part configured for acquiring said run-length data by performing a raster image processing (RIP) process on said input data; a defect detection part configured for comparing said input data with said run-length data to detect a difference area as a defect area in said run-length data when it is found; wherein said defect detection part comprises a data format conversion part configured for performing a predetermined conversion process on at least one of said input data and said run-length data to make the data formats of both data comparable; a repair part configured for repairing said defect area to acquire repaired run-length data when the defect area is detected in said run-length data; a drawing run-length data acquisition part configured for acquiring said repaired run-length data as drawing run-length data when said defect area is detected in said run-length data and acquiring said run-length data as drawing run-length data when said defect area is not detected in said run-length data; and a drawing part configured for drawing a figure onto said output medium on the basis of said drawing run-length data.

18. A figure drawing system configured for drawing a figure onto an output medium on the basis of run-length data, comprising: a defect inspection apparatus configured for inspecting a defect in said run-length data; and a drawing apparatus configured for acquiring drawing run-length data from said defect inspection apparatus and drawing a figure onto said output medium on the basis of said drawing run-length data, wherein said defect inspection apparatus comprises an input data acquisition part configured for acquiring input data describing a figure to be drawn; a run-length data acquisition part configured for acquiring said run-length data by performing a raster imaging processing (RIP) process on said input data; a defect detection part configured for comparing said input data with said run-length data to detect a difference area as a defect area in said run-length data when it is found; wherein said defect detection part comprises a data format conversion part configured for performing a predetermined conversion process on at least one of said input data and said run-length data to make the data formats of both data comparable a repair part configured for repairing said defect area to acquire repaired run-length data when the defect area is detected in said run-length data; a drawing run-length data acquisition part configured for acquiring said repaired run-length data as drawing run-length data when said defect area is detected in said run-length data and acquiring said run-length data as drawing run-length data when said defect area is not detected in said run-length data; and a drawing run-length data transmitting part configured for transmitting said drawing run-length data to said drawing apparatus.